4 Reasons Regular Dental Cleanings are so Important

Regular brushing and flossing at home are important for maintaining optimal health. However, dental cleanings are essential, not only for aesthetic purposes, but for protecting your teeth, gums, and overall health.

One of the most important and helpful oral healthcare treatments available are professional dental cleanings, which should be done at least once every six months. In fact, before any other procedure is recommended, a cleaning will most likely be done first by your dentist.

The Importance of Regular Dental Cleanings

As regularly and carefully as you may brush your teeth, you can’t always do as thorough a job as a professional dentist. Even flossing can’t always remove hardened tartar buildup below the gum line, or you may not be able to reach the cavities in back teeth that could be the start of tooth decay.

Some of the reasons why professional dental cleanings are so important to include:

Dental Cleanings Prevent Tooth Loss

Gum disease begins as a buildup of plaque on the teeth and when it’s left untreated or unnoticed, it is one of the main causes of tooth loss. Why? As the plaque builds around the tooth, it can start to make its way down to the surrounding gum tissue, destroying supporting bone and causing your teeth to loosen and/or fall out.

During a dental cleaning, your dentist can spot and treat any buildup of plaque, keeping your mouth healthy and preventing tooth loss.

Dental Cleanings Remove Stains

It is quite common for patients to find that their teeth are not as white or bright as they would like, and you may be feeling self-conscious about a lackluster smile. There are a number of factors that can cause staining, including:

If you have any visible discoloration, regular dental cleaning will not only help you maintain great oral hygiene but also keep your smile fresh and white.

Dental Cleanings Give You Fresh Breath

Halitosis (bad breath) can cause significant worry, anxiety, and embarrassment, and most of the time, it is a result of plaque buildup, which is one of the biggest causes of bad breath because it harbors smelly bacteria. Other causes can include:

Dry mouth

Gum disease

Lifestyle habits such as smoking

Certain illnesses, such as cancer, liver failure, or other metabolic illnesses

GERD

Since bad breath is almost always caused by a problem in your mouth, visiting a dentist can help treat the condition. If your halitosis is a result of gum disease, then a professional dental cleaning will help remove any bacteria and plaque buildup for fresher breath.

Dental Cleanings Can Boost Your Overall Health

Many areas of your body have good and bad bacteria, which is also true of your mouth. While most of these bacteria are harmless, there are some that do raise concern.

Regular cleanings can help flush out these bacteria and prevent or lower your risk from developing systemic conditions, such as:

Cardiovascular disease

Dementia

Respiratory infections

Diabetic complications

Birth Complications and Plaque

If you are expecting a child, you should always visit your dentist for regular cleanings to ensure that your plaque and other bacteria levels are under control. This is because it has been shown that bad bacteria from gum disease can raise your chances of having a low birth weight baby, or even result in a still-birth.